All About Getting an Omani Driving Licence – What You Need To Know

for how long u drive there.. does not count...U have to keep on giving tests until u get it.  rest... from 350, ur food exp will be 100 plus/minus.

Ganu_Mech31 wrote:

Hi Sumitran,

I am driving in India from last 4-5 years. Can you tell me how much time it will require to get GCC driving licence & what will approximate cost of the same.

Hi Ganu_Mech31,

The longer your drive in India, the more difficult it will be for you to pass your Omani driving licence test !

For starters, you will have to 'unlearn' a lot of things which you would have learnt / picked-up driving in India !

First and foremost in Oman you will be driving on the right side of the road, with a vehicle that'll be left-hand drive.

In India, it is the exact opposite.

Till you get used, driving a left-hand drive vehicle where the controls are all on the opposite side to what you're used to - like the gear stick, indicators, windscreen wipers, light switches - can be very confusing. So you must get acclimatised to this big change before anything else. Then come the rest ...

What you also need to be familiar with and will be tested for are stuff like using the indicator lights before turning; checking the outside rear view mirrors and the inside central rear view mirror; choosing the right lanes; negotiating a roundabout the correct way; giving the right of way; reading the road signs; maintaining the different specified speed limits on the roads; reverse parking; parallel parking; and much more.

The only good thing about having an Indian Driving Licence is you can straightaway attempt taking the 'Road Test' and skip the 'Drums' and the 'Slope' tests. Otherwise it will be equally difficult for you to pass these 2 preliminary tests until you practice hard and get used to and be comfortable with both.

Regarding costs, for practicing driving on the road, you have to pay your instructor R.O. 6 per hour. Each time you appear for a Test you have to pay R.O. 30/- to your instructor if you fail, and R.O. 60/- if you pass ! Plus you have to pay R.O. 5/- to the Royal Oman Police (ROP) for appearing for each Test.

There are also 'packages' where the driving instructor will collect a lump sum and be with you till such time you get your driving licence (in theory). But in reality it seldom happens. The package amount varies from instructor to instructor – usually starting from R.O. 375/- which is of course non-refundable. 

But this is not a reliable option as your driving instructor will collect the money from you upfront and will play hide and seek with you afterwards – leaving you frustrated and helpless.

This is a common issue which many expatriates are facing after paying big sums in advance and then run behind their driving instructors, who will retain their ‘book' without which you cannot go to another instructor. So you are stuck with this instructor.

If you know driving then it is advisable for you to go for hourly practices and keep taking the 'Road Test' as often as possible till you get your licence.

And yes, getting a Driving Licence in Oman for all Asian expatriates is an expensive proposition.

For most Europeans and for certain other nationalities (like South Africans), the rules are different :-( !!!

Trust you've got the answers you were looking for.

Best wishes !